


keep your secrets close and your truths even closer

by killthefangirl



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Cliffhanger, Gen, Identity Reveal, Magic Revealed, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Secret Identity, brought to you by my inability to write long stories, i gave merlin a brand new title to fit the story just go with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:46:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29030376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killthefangirl/pseuds/killthefangirl
Summary: Merlin didn't insist hard enough to not go into the cave.He regrets that decision.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 116





	keep your secrets close and your truths even closer

**Author's Note:**

> look i had this idea at 4am half delirious once and i had to give merlin a new title for it to work

They were out about a two days ride from Camelot to check out rumors of an enemy army on the west coast. Because of course they were. Why not send the King and _all of the knights of the round table_ out of Camelot when there is supposedly an army assembling in its vicinity.

That’s perfectly reasonable.

Well, there was no use mourning the stupidity of past decisions _now,_ since he was already here and not really in the mood to go anywhere else. At least he wasn’t _planning to_ until Gwaine apparently heard something from a cave, and really, what were they even looking for? It’s not like the supposed enemy army was going to be in a _cave._ An army that wished to fight Camelot would _not_ fit there and if they did they were doomed to fail to do any damage upon arrival to their destination.

But Arthur was apparently bored, not that anyone blamed him, the sheer amount of meetings about crops he’s had in the last two months made Merlin shiver, and he made them go check it out. All of them. Once again, Merlin _didn’t see the point._ They were just going to set up camp when the whole cave alert happened, so they at least weren’t about to leave their things unattended too far out but they still left them on their horses that they tied to trees near the entrance.

To be clear, Merlin did warn them that he had a bad feeling, but even if they did take him seriously they just seemed more excited to go inside. Danger seeking madmen the lot of ‘em.

They walked into the cave without much fanfare and to the disappointment of the knights, the cave seemed to be completely empty if a bit ridiculously room shaped. The deep end of the cave looked nothing like the barely a person wide hallway that led into it. Despite that, the enemy was obviously not in the cave, unless they were about to be attacked by bats and mice, since the ballroom-like interior of the cave didn’t have any ridges or holes to hide in or behind. Merlin felt strangely exposed.

He was just about to suggest they go back outside when the far side of the room started emitting a strange blueish light. Well, it’s more like _something_ on the other side of the room was the source of the light.

That something turned out to be a translucent image of a woman who was eyeing them quite intensely. She observed them in silence for a while and Merlin was just about to call out to her, he wasn’t very fond of standing around for no reason at all, when she whispered something and a singular thick stone pillar started emerging from the floor. It wasn’t very thick or tall, reaching about midwaist if he had to specify, but it held the strangely smooth unnatural quality the rest of the room had.

The knights all drew their swords, now wary, not taking their eyes of the floating figure. Huh. He didn’t notice she was floating earlier. She wasn’t very high up, her feet could probably touch the ground if she pointed her toes, but the fact that she could do that kind of magic consistently still made him stand on guard. He did _not_ like the energy he was getting from her at all. It wasn’t malicious as far as he could tell, but it still made his skin crawl. Creepy sorcerers always up in his business.

Suddenly wrenched out of his trance he quickly turned around to look for a way out, just to be met with the sight of the same eerily smooth rock that surrounded them from all sides.

Wonderful.

Trapped in a cave with a supernatural creature of sorts, because that woman was _not_ human, and he wouldn’t even really be able to use magic without the others noticing. He’s pretty sure something or someone has to have put a lasting curse of bad luck on him because this was just getting ridiculous. No one man should be this unlucky, warlock or not.

He turned back around eyeing the apparition warily and resigned himself to his fate. Whatever that may be.

“Who are you? State your purpose or let us go.” Arthur took it upon himself to approach the creature. Leon frowned at the king drawing attention to himself but didn’t make any move to stop him.

“I mean you no harm. I have simply been blessed by the opportunity to gain what I’m in need of after so long and I could not let the chance escape me. I promise you’ll all leave this room in no worse health that you came in, provided that you give me what I seek.”

Some knights lowered their swords slightly at the admission, but didn’t relax their posture, still tense and ready for a fight. Good. That sounded like a terrible deal if she wanted Arthurs heart or something. Who would even agree to that without any details.

He shifted his weight from one leg to another and thought about what she could want. Maybe gold? He guessed even creatures have to live off of something and a market would be a very easy place to get food from. Gwaine threw him a worried glance and he shuffled closer to the group. It’s probably a good idea to be close to the part of the group that could openly fight without using magic.

“And what exactly do you seek?” asked Lancelot warily, eyeing the woman with distrust. She didn’t seem hostile for now, but she could decide to start chopping off heads any second and he didn’t want to take that risk with Arthur at the front.

She didn’t seem surprised by the question, merely flicking her wrist at the short stone pillar, making a simple goblet appear, smiling at them eerily the whole time. The cup was iron, with some small gems close to the rim. Not too extravagant, but not something you’d find in a commoners home.

“I require the blood of two kings, ten drops each, if you’d be kind enough.” Her voice was sweet, sickeningly so, but her words were pure poison in the warlocks veins.

Arthur and Merlin both tensed, but while Arthur merely looked confused and wary, Merlin was overcome with dread.

Arthur glanced back at his group, “I’m afraid we only have one king among us Lady…“ he trailed off uncertainly. Merlin idly wondered why he even bothered with the formality.

“Echemeia.” “Lady Echemeia,” he quickly finished. “If it’ll help, I could give you twenty drops of blood?” he added as an afterthought. Merlin did not like that at all, and neither did the knights by the looks of it, but the alternative was even worse, even if only Merlin knew of it.

Her expression didn’t change at the admission, but her eyes seemed to take on a mischievous glint. That might’ve just been Merlin’s imagination though. Well. He hoped it was. He wasn’t in any particular need for trickster spirits.

“There is no need my king, I can sense the others presence in here, I am sure he’ll reveal himself eventually. Now, if you could-“ she gestured at the goblet.

Arthur’s shoulders tensed, but he stepped up to the goblet nonetheless. He stared at it for a second, then flicked his eyes to Echemeia and reached for his sword. He made a small cut into his palm with Excalibur and let ten drops of blood slowly trickle into the cup. When he made to draw back, Echemeia stopped him.

“Your title as well please, the power of names is great after all.”

The blonde looked like he’d rather do literally anything else, but he had nothing to lose at this point, the creature was already in the possession of his blood. Well. He _could_ lose more, but according to all of the research he’s done, the fae weren’t actually real and therefore couldn’t steal his name.

“King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot,” he uttered slowly, looking more uncomfortable by the second. He looked like every time something happened he regretted going to the cave more and more.

“And…?” she urged.

Before Arthur could question what she meant, Merlin resolved to intervene. Standing around waiting for him to try and figure out a title he _doesn’t even know about_ was not going to achieve anything. And with the implications of what she said he was screwed either way so he might as well.

“And The Once and Future King of Albion.”

He was walking up to the two people at the front of the room slowly, a resigned but determined expression on his face. He walked up to the goblet, glaring at the apparition the whole time. She turned towards him and her smile widened. He hated the way her near translucent skin stretched over her face like it wasn’t her. Her cheekbones a little too sharp, her eyes a little too wide, her smile too wide and with a few too many teeth. The more he looked at her the more twisted and cruel her features became but he held still. If he was going to give up his secrets to her he might as well keep his dignity.

“And so he comes forth.” She says lightly, smile still stretched taunt, her eyes never leaving Merlin.

He did not deign to answer her provocation, instead turning his gaze to the goblet and reaching for the dagger in his boot. He absentmindedly thanked his subconscious for putting it there when they were leaving, and not leaving it in his bag. Paranoia was good for something at least.

He sliced his hand and watched entranced as the droplets dribbled into the cup, painfully aware of the suffocating silence of the other members of his group. He steeled himself for the worst. Arthur could technically permanently kill him with Excalibur if he wanted to.

“Merlin Emrys, King of the Druids.” Ignoring the shocked gasps behind him, he looked expectantly at the woman. Her expression was frozen in a slightly askew face of joy, her eyes glinting dangerously in the dark cave only lit up by her unnatural blueish glow that warped their shadows. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

“And…?”

He sucked in a breath and made his glare harsher. “The Last Dragon Lord,” he uttered through gritted teeth.

He was sure he heard a sword clatter to the ground behind him, but he was still focused on the creature that had just potentially ruined everything he’d worked for since he came to Camelot.

She nodded her head at him and made the cup disappear. “Thank you for your kind sacrifice. You may leave now. Good luck.” She faded out before him and he heard the shifting of rocks behind him, probably opening the way out. He impulsively wanted to shout after her, to make her see the consequences of what she just did, but he suppressed the urge to make a fool of himself and composed himself.

He clenched his eyes shut and took a deep breath. Time to face the music.


End file.
